2004 Toyota Avalon Xls Sedan 4-door 3.0l on 2040-cars

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Despite slow sales, no new Scion models in near-term pipeline [w/poll]

According to a top Toyota executive, the Japanese automaker will not be introducing any fresh Scion models in the near future, Reuters reports. As of August, Scion sales for this year were down 1.6 percent from 2012 and accounted for only 0.3 percent of Toyota's overall US sales. And last month, Toyota Motor Sales USA Senior Vice President Bob Carter informed the 1,000 dealers who carry Scion that they can drop the brand without penalty.
However, never fear - Carter has assured that, while nothing new is coming for at least six months, the company is still very committed to the quirky Scion brand. Toyota launched Scion, which targets the youth market, in 2003, and sales peaked in 2006. The brand currently has five models, with the 2013 best-sellers being the FR-S sports coupe followed by the tC sedan and xB hatchback.
What do you think about Toyota's decision to hold off on introducing new or refreshed Scion models? Are they heading in the right direction, or does this spell doom for the funky Gen Y brand?

Meet the Most Elegant Automobile, and it's for sale

Alright, so maybe "most elegant" is a bit of a stretch, but we feel safe in calling the 1992 Toyota Paseo in the video below an "automobile." High praise, we know. Still, it's clear someone loves the awkward little coupe enough to produce a hilarious video to sell the thing. Henry Floyd worked up a quick parody of the over-the-top luxury car ads we all know and loathe, and while the finished product is a little skimpy on details like price or location, it certainly doesn't hold back on the exposition.
Hell, if we didn't already have a parade of horrible ideas floating around our collective driveways, we might even be convinced to give this little heap a new home. You can check out the ad for yourself below, just don't be surprised if you find yourself with a burning desire to own a Paseo.

Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota i-Road and COMS in France, Tesla tours Northeast, EV attitudes in UK

Toyota's i-ROAD and COMS teeny, tiny, city EVs are joining the Citelib carsharing fleet in Grenoble, France. The ultra-compact EVs, which will become available in October, are meant to supplement the Grenoble metropolitan area's existing public transit infrastructure, which includes trams, buses and trains. Toyota's i-ROAD and COMS will be connected to the transit systems IT infrastructure, allowing users to visualize their route on their smartphone or computer, and reserve and pay for their car before they get dropped off near the charging station (or the other way around). Then, the user finishes (or begins) their trip with one of the EVs. Surveys show that use of public transport is increasing in Europe, but most users still have to walk 15 minutes or so to reach their destination. Adding the i-ROAD and COMS carsharing service to their commute makes the trip into the city center quicker and more flexible, while keeping the air clean. See more below. Toyota is providing 70 vehicles to the Citelib program as part of a three-year test, while French energy company EDF is contributing 30 charging stations to the project. The i-ROAD is a three-wheeled EV that seats two people, and it features Active Lean technology for stability and comfort in the corners. Its footprint is about one-fourth that of a regular car. The four-wheeled COMS EV seats one, but also features a small storage compartment in the rear. The Tesla Model S is going on tour throughout the Northeastern US to give test drives to the public. Beginning July 4 in Montauk, NY, and ending August 30 in Vergennes, VT, people will get the chance to take a 15-minute spin in what many consider to be the best electric car available as part of Tesla's Fully Charged tour. If you live in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maine, Connecticut, New Hampshire or Vermont, the Model S may be coming to a town near you (check the schedule here) and you'll get the chance to drive the car with a product specialist in the passenger seat to answer your questions. You can even bring up to three guests in the back seat. So if you live in one of the states where Tesla can't sell cars or doesn't have a store, this is your chance to get to know the vehicle and decide if you want to buy one. Or you can just see what it feels like to silently go from 0-60 in 4.2 seconds (hint: it's pretty cool). A UK Survey shows five percent of people there are considering buying an electric vehicle.